Over the weekend, Israel killed seven Hamas fighters in a series of air strikes after the group detonated two jeeps packed with explosives at an Israeli crossing on the Gaza border.

Israel and the US, which both consider Hamas a terrorist group, have criticised Carter's efforts to broker negotiations.

Relations between Hamas and Jordan are frosty.

Jordan has accused Hamas of stockpiling and concealing weapons in the kingdom with the intention of using them to destabilise the pro-Western government.

Ceasefire proposed

Carter has proposed a ceasefire by Hamas and talks between the group and Yishai on an exchange of prisoners.

Muhammad Nazal, a member of Hamas' political bureau, earlier told Al Jazeera that the group would consider Carter's ideas, but "not at any price".

"This paper includes President Carter's opinion on the proposed cases," he said.

"Regarding the calm issue [of a ceasefire], President Carter calls for a goodwill stance and initiative by Hamas movement to 'embarrass' the Israelis."

Nazal said that Carter's proposals also examined conditions for the possible release of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who was captured by Palestinian fighters in June 2006.

Detailed viewpoint

"The other issues include a prisoner exchange and Gilad Shalit ... there is a detailed viewpoint that I do not want to tackle now," Nazal said.

"There is also a vision towards lifting the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip, and others related to the Rafah [border] crossing [between Gaza and Egypt]."

Hamas, which has overall control of the Gaza Strip after routing Fatah forces there in July 2007, may allow Fatah-allied guards to stand at the Rafah crossing, Mahmoud Zahar, a senior Hamas official, said.

However, Nazal said Hamas agreed to study Carter's proposals "only as part of a number of prices that will achieve public interest for the Palestinian people".